


The Lucky Charms Challenge 2: Mark's Deep Descent

by tiny_septic_box_sam



Series: The Lucky Charms Challenges [2]
Category: JackSepticEye (YouTube RPF), Markiplier (YouTube RPF), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: AU, Fluff, M/M, Sequel, multi-chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-20
Updated: 2015-07-28
Packaged: 2018-04-10 07:47:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4383356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiny_septic_box_sam/pseuds/tiny_septic_box_sam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mark was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of hot coffee steaming next to him, his chin in his hands. The letter was spread out before him, the words almost mocking him in their cheerful little font. "Dear Mark Fischbach, aka Markiplier. Congratulations! You’re our second lets-player to be selected for our Lucky Charms Challenge!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Wait

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to "The Lucky Charms Challenge".

            Mark was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of hot coffee steaming next to him, his chin in his hands. The letter was spread out before him, the words almost mocking him in their cheerful little font.

            _Dear Mark Fischbach, aka Markiplier. Congratulations! You’re our second lets-player to be selected for our Lucky Charms Challenge!_

            The letter went on much the same way Jack’s had: it gave an obscure address and absolutely no indication as to what Mark would have to endure once he got there. Inside the box there had also been a snorkeling mask with his emblem on the side. He shuddered to imagine what that meant.

            Mark had mentioned in at least one video that he was terrified of sharks and open ocean. Why the _hell_ had he said that?! Jesus, how had they even _found_ it?! Did Lucky Charms employees have nothing better to do than comb through every video he’d ever made to see if he’d ever mentioned something he was afraid of?

            Jack walked into the kitchen, yawning. “Mornin’,” he said casually, going straight for the coffeepot and pouring himself some. It was black with two sugars; Mark knew it without even looking up.

            “Morning,” Mark deadpanned, still staring at the letter. Jack sat next to him and blew on his cup.

            “How long have you been awake? You look dead.”

            “Eh, I got up before the sun, I don’t know when exactly.”

            “That’s insane.” Mark and Jack rarely rose before eleven in the morning. “Is everything okay?”

            Mark shrugged, gesturing noncommittally at the letter before him. Jack sighed.

            “Babe…you gotta stop agonizin’ over this. It’ll drive you mad.”

            Mark smirked cynically. “It’s a little late for that.”

            “You seemed cool with it when you emailed them back.” Jack took a sip of his coffee and winced. “Ugh, still too hot.”

            “Yeah, I was cool with it _then_ ,” Mark replied anxiously, “but now I’m supposed to show up at this place tomorrow, and I don’t know…now I’m having second thoughts.”

            “We don’t even know what they’re gonna make you do yet,” Jack reminded him, covering one of Mark’s hands with his own and squeezing reassuringly. “Besides, you’ll get to donate 72,000 dollars to charity. That’s pretty badass if you ask me.”

            Mark snorted. “Yeah, but at what cost? They made us _skydive_ last time.”

            “Ugh, don’t remind me.” Jack looked away, now slightly pale.

            “See? This is what I mean! I’m scared, okay? I’m a big pussy, and I don’t know if I wanna go through with whatever nightmare they’ve set up for me.” Mark gulped at the thought of treading water in the middle of the ocean, with no land anywhere in sight. The thought was enough to make his stomach churn.

            Jack stood up and hugged Mark from behind, his chin burying into his boyfriend’s shoulder. “Hey, it’ll be fine,” he murmured in the most soothing way he could. “You’re the bravest person I know; and c’mon, this is Lucky Charms we’re talkin’ about. If they so much as scratched you they know they’d have to deal with some kind of investigation on their company.”

            Mark chuckled. It certainly did help that Lucky Charms was terrified of bad press. “You’re right, I’m sorry,” he sighed. He forced himself to fold up the letter and put it in his pocket. “Jeez, it’s too late now anyway, I need to just go there and get it the hell over with.”

            Jack snorted. “Yeah, that’s the spirit,” he said sarcastically, straightening up. “You hungry? Have you eaten yet?”

            “Nah, not yet.” His stomach growled to prove his point, and Jack laughed.

            “Here, I have an idea. Why not eat our favorite cereal?” He pulled Mark’s customized Lucky Charms box out of the cupboard, and Mark couldn’t help laughing at the Photoshopped picture of himself (dressed as Wilford Warfstache) making possibly the ugliest derp face in the world at the leprechaun on the opposite corner of the box.

            “Why do they choose the _worst pictures_ of us for these stupid things?!” Mark chortled. He stood up and took the bowl Jack handed him. “Thanks, babe.”

            “No problem.” Jack leaned over the counter and kissed him on the cheek, and Mark couldn’t help blushing. “Now sack up, eat your breakfast, and let’s just enjoy our last day before we go fight whatever hell beast they designed for you.”

            Mark rolled his eyes. “Your motivational speeches are _so_ inspiring.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! It's baaaaaaaack! :D
> 
> I promised you guys a sequel to TLCC, so here it is. I really hope it lives up to the first one, I'm kind of nervous about bringing the series down by writing a sequel...but whatever, here it is! This chapter is just a short prologue, but of course we'll get to the more exciting stuff later on.
> 
> Constructive criticism is always appreciated! Just please remember to be polite. :)


	2. The Crowd

            On the morning of Mark’s hellish nightmare, the sky was clear and the temperature was comfortable. More importantly, Jack wore a pale green V-neck and cargo shorts that made Mark wonder why he’d ever worried about anything in the first place, and he was able to distract himself for half of the cab ride to the mystery location while he stared at his boyfriend’s exposed collarbones.

            “I wonder if they’ll have me do the challenge too,” Jack blurted sometime during the car ride, which broke Mark’s reverie and brought him back to the cold reality of his situation. “Y’know, like how they let you get in the helicopter with me? I wonder if I’ll be able to get into the whatever-it-is with you.”

            “Hey, shut up. I don’t wanna think any whatever-it-is-es right now.” He smiled, trying to be silly, but his mind was suddenly filled with images of dark, cramped submarines. Jesus Christ, _anything_ but that.

            Jack laughed. “Wow, that’s some good English right there,” he teased, reclining in the cab seat. Mark envied his ease with the situation; of course, Jack had already stared into this Lucky Charms-flavored abyss, and the abyss had blinked first. He wondered if the same would hold true for him.

            Hell, it would have to. How would it look if he pussied out of this challenge before they even got there? He tried to remember the advice he’d given to Jack when he’d come close to tucking tail and running, but all of his motivational words seemed meaningless now that the situation was happening to _him_.

            The cabbie took them to the destined location, which wasn’t too far from a beach. The drive had been surprisingly long, but Mark hadn’t processed exactly _how_ long until he saw clifftops and heard waves breaking over them.

            Jack looked up and yawned; Mark hadn’t even noticed he’d dozed off. “Good, we made it.” He paid the driver and stepped out, stretching in the sunshine. Mark followed suit and tried to pretend he wasn’t about to shit his pants.

            “I don’t see anythin’, do you?” Jack asked as the cab disappeared into the horizon. Mark shook his head, shielding his eyes from the blinding white sun.

            “No, not a thing. Maybe we should walk along until we find a cameraman?” _Or possibly a car that’s willing to pick up two hitchhikers back to L.A.?_

At that moment, however, they heard a voice call out, “Mr. Fischbach! Is that you?!” Mark turned around to see a man in a suit (God, all of the Lucky Charms people looked so _alike_ , right down to the black pinstriped suits) jogging up to them. He mopped his forehead once he reached earshot, seemingly out of breath.

            “You two can follow me!” he declared, panting heavily. “Jesus, this heat is gonna kill me.”

            “Why not take off your jacket?” Jack suggested. The man shook his head.

            “Nah, the boss’d kill me. Follow me, please.”

            He led Mark and Jack past the severe cliffs and to a gentler slope that led to the beach. Now Mark could see the recording setup sprawled out beneath him; there were the same dozens of cameras, the same Men in Black-esque men assembling them, the same director sitting in a chair shouting orders. Also, off to the side behind a red rope and a half dozen security guards, was a crowd of teens and young adults. As soon as they caught sight of Mark and Jack, they began their incoherent screaming that the two men recognized all too well.

            “Didn’t they want this event to be private last time?” Mark asked uneasily. He’d never had a problem appearing before his viewers before, but the idea wasn’t appealing when he was scared absolutely shitless.

            The man nodded. “Yeah, but the director liked the ambiance they provided last time, so he publicized the address last night. Don’t worry, they won’t get any closer than that.”

            As they got closer, trying not to kick up too much sand (Mark suddenly wished he’d worn sandals), they could make out Felix and Carlton having a discussion under the sparse shade of a palm tree growing near the cliff. Jack waved, and Felix looked up, waving back.

            “Hey, how’s it going?” he asked once they were within talking distance. “Glad you guys made it.” He smiled eagerly and looked at Mark. “You nervous?”

            Mark nodded. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t,” he half-joked. Carlton smiled, stepping forward.

            “You’re right about that. We’ve got a big day planned for you!”

            “Oh, joy,” Mark muttered. Carlton laughed as if it were all one huge joke.

            “Don’t sweat it, you’ll do fine! If anything, you’ll be in less danger than Jack was during his challenge.”

            “Hey, that’s hardly fair! This is s’posed to be my revenge!” Jack broke in with a smirk. “I’d better see fear and crying.”

            “Oh, believe me, it’ll be there,” Mark replied. Carlton laughed again. _Jesus_ , Mark thought; did he really find everything funny, or was he just trying to pacify his stars?

            Carlton walked off to talk to the director. Felix glanced at Mark and then at the ocean, which glistened brilliantly under the sun like crushed emeralds. “You nervous, dude?”

            “Yeah, kind of.” Mark tried to sound blasé, but he was almost sure that his voice betrayed every bit of his concern. He’d never been a very good liar. “Well, truthfully, I’m pretty terrified. Do you know what they’re gonna have me do?”

            “Yeah, but since you’re not on the verge of a panic attack I’m not gonna tell you. Director’s orders.”

            “This director seems like a real douchebag.”

            “He’s actually pretty cool, I just question his artistic choices.” Felix looked up and half-smiled. “And hey, speak of the devil….”

            Mark gazed in that direction and saw a man wearing a flamboyant pink blazer and white slacks jogging up to them. His face was shiny with sweat, but he otherwise looked serenely excited.

            “Hello, Mr. Fischbach! I don’t believe we met last time. I’m Vincent Voss, the director.”

            Mark shook his hand politely. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Voss.” He shook Jack’s hand next.

            “I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk much at your event, Mr. McLoughlin,” Voss said sincerely. “Everything was so chaotic, what with needing sudden crowd control and worrying whether or not you’d go through with the challenge despite being uncontracted….”

            Jack shook his head good-naturedly. “Don’t worry about it, I understand. I gotta wonder about your lack of information though….” He raised one eyebrow almost challengingly, and Voss tugged on his collar with a nervous chuckle.

            “Yes, well…ahem, it, uh, it makes for a better video if we capture all the emotions onscreen—”

            “Yeah, I remember hearing that a few times,” Mark interjected, his arms crossed. “Doesn’t that interfere with safety?”

            “No, no, not at all!” Now Voss looked genuinely worried. “Believe me, sir, I would _never_ risk your well-being for the sake of a shot—”

            “It’s okay, sir, I believe you,” Mark assured him, feeling guilty for putting him on the spot (even though putting people on the spot seemed to essentially be Voss’s entire video concept). “But why did you allow fans to be here today? You said that last time it was a hassle.”

            “Well, it makes for a good shot, honestly. After Jack’s touchdown in his video, when they screamed and cheered like crazy? You couldn’t ask for a cooler shot.” Voss beamed, lost in cinematography. “Anyway, that’s why I approached you in the first place. While we’re setting up our equipment to film the actual event, would you be okay with going over there and interacting with them for a few minutes? I’ll send a cameraman or two with you. It’ll make for good filler shots, should we need any.”

            Mark glanced back at the crowd and gulped. He didn’t know if he’d be able to hide his nerves long enough to be the happy-go-lucky person he usually was on camera for them.

            Jack, sensing his unease, took his hand tightly. “C’mon, babe, it’ll be fun,” he urged, smiling. “We never get to see our fans anymore.”

            Voss nodded encouragingly. “Yeah, that’s the spirit!” He turned around and whistled as though hailing a dog. “ _Chad_! _Andrew_! _Tail these two while they talk to fans_!” Two men with bulky tripods ran across the sand, struggling not to topple their setups in the uneven ground.

            Mark and Jack walked hand-in-hand towards the crowd, which became more ecstatic with every step they took. The security people tensed up visibly, ready to deal with whatever nonsense the fans were willing to dish out.

            Fortunately, nothing crazy happened. Mark and Jack had long prided themselves in having fan bases that were kind and collected. They high-fived and hugged the people closest to them, and took a few selfies. Mark was glad to see that he was able to interact as normal, and it actually calmed him down a bit to see so many happy people there to see him.

            “Mark! Mark!” one group cried, and he ambled over and bent down to listen. “How long have you and Jack been together?!”

            Mark chuckled. “About a year now, probably.” They hadn’t been out that long, though; they’d posted their announcement video probably four months prior. The group squealed and covered their mouths affectionately.

            “That’s so cute! You two are literally the cutest together!” one girl gushed, unable to contain herself. “Can I have a hug?” Mark was happy to lean and give them all the best hugs he could over the median.

            Jack came up behind him and patted him on the shoulder. “Hey, babe! Havin’ fun?” His cheeks were flushed with heat and excitement, and his smile made Mark’s heart flutter. Maybe the group noticed, because they gasped and squealed at the interaction.

            Jack glanced at them. “Hey guys! How’re you doin’?”

            “We’re great! You and Mark are literally _so freaking cute_!”

            “Oh, I know right? We’re adorable.” Then Jack, being the cheeky fan-service that he was, kissed Mark playfully on the cheek.

            Mark’s cheeks instantly turned red, and he laughed like an idiot. The crowd went wild, jumping up and down and squealing for more. He hoped the cameras had caught the interaction; God knew that the director loved this fluffy shit.

            “Hey guys! How’s it going?” Felix asked amicably behind the couple, and the crowd greeted him with a collective scream of delight. “Good! I’m gonna need to borrow these two for a minute.” He motioned to Mark and Jack. “We go on in ten. Let’s get some makeup on those ugly faces.”

            Jack snorted. “At least I can be made attractive. No amount of goop on that pube beard is gonna help you,” he bantered, and Felix laughed.

            “Don’t diss my beard. I’ve been growing it out!” He rubbed at his stubble. “I wish I could grow a long beard, that’d be fucking fantastic.”

            Mark shook his head. “Man, the only one of us who can grow a full-on man beard is Ken.”

            “Yeah, I know. Fuckin’ bastard with his fuckin’ lumberjack face,” Felix muttered, chuckling.

            Mark and Jack were placed strategically in front of a camera and dusted with apricot- and pink-colored powders that made Mark feel a lot like a dress-up doll. Felix was given his puffy reporter’s microphone that looked more like a toy than an actual piece of equipment.

            “Hey, Mark?” Voss hailed from his seat behind the camera lines. “Don’t sweat lines and responses, okay? Just say whatever’s natural.”

            Mark nodded, remembering how Jack had come close to choking on camera last time. “Will do, sir.”

            “Oh please, I’m not sir. You can call me Vincent.”

            Mark smirked, mentally deciding that he’d get on a first-name basis with this man after he survived his fucked-up challenge.

            “Two minutes till camera!” Voss shouted, and Felix shouted back, “Thank you two!”

            Mark gulped, and he felt Jack’s nails lightly scratching up and down his back in a way that they’d both always found soothing. He smiled at his boyfriend gratefully.

            “Don’t worry too much, babe,” Jack encouraged with a smile. “It’ll all be over before we know it, and then we can go out and eat a bunch of shit food with Felix.”

            “Damn, I’m up for that,” Felix chimed in, grinning. “I will _never_ say no to shit food.”

            “One minute!”

            “Thank you one!” He glanced at Mark and Jack. “Don’t forget to smile, guys. Mark, try not to look like you’re about to eat a plate of shit.”

            Mark couldn’t help it; he snorted, quite unattractively at that. “Jesus, dude, you’re so weird.”

            “Well _duh_. Why do you think I went to YouTube?”

            “Thirty seconds!” The cameraman began counting down, and the three stars had to be quiet. Jack continued to pet Mark’s back, which successfully kept him from focusing too much on his fears. He listened anxiously to the countdown, feeling like every second ticked by was another second ticked away from his ability to live.

            Finally, on the one, Voss pointed at Felix wordlessly. He opened his mouth with a wide smile.

            “Hello everybody, and welcome back to the Lucky Charms Challenge!” The crowd behind him roared, and suddenly Mark understood Voss’s statement about ambiance. “I’m Felix Kjellberg, also known as _Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew_ die _pie_ , and I have with me here possibly the _manliest_ let’s-player on YouTube. You may know him as Wilford Warfstache, or the King of Five Nights at Freddy’s, but we like to call him…Markiplier!”

            The crowd cheered again, and Mark was handed the microphone. He smiled at Felix to quell the churning in his stomach and said in the deepest voice he could possibly pull:

            “ _Hello_ , everybody! My name is Markiplier, and I’m here for the Lucky Charms Challenge…hopefully I make it out alive!” He flashed a silly, exaggerated thumbs-up at the camera, and the crowd went wild.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to beef up this chapter because it was moving too fast. Idk, my biggest fear is that this fic is gonna be exactly the same as the first one. :/ Hopefully there'll be more deviation once we actually get to Mark's challenge.
> 
> Constructive criticism is always welcome! Just be polite please. :)


	3. The Suits

            “So Mark, you’re our second contestant we’ve had here on the Lucky Charms Challenge. What was your first experience with it like?” Felix shoved the microphone under Mark’s mouth expectantly.

            Mark stuttered. “Well…it was, uh—”

            “Fuckin’ _terrifyin’_!” Jack interjected, leaning in with a cheeky grin. Felix laughed, and Mark sent him a silent thank you for being there to bail him out.

            “Yeah, that’s probably the best way I can put it,” Mark agreed amiably. “But I guess that’s the point, right?”

            “I’d have to say it is, but it’s for a good cause. So Mark, we’ve brought you out here to the beach, and we’ve given you swimming goggles. Do you have any ideas of what your challenge might be?” Felix waggled his eyebrows impishly.

            Mark held up the goggles with a nervous laugh. “Oh, I dunno. Bullfighting?” he cracked. “Probably something water-based, but I’m seriously hoping not.”

            “Well then, I hate to disappoint you, but you will be getting into the water today.” _Bam_ ; the last bit of Mark’s hope for survival was pulverized. Felix addressed the camera directly. “Mark doesn’t know this yet, but today he’ll be doing a little bit of scuba diving with our hired expert. He’ll go as deep as he safely can for an hour, and just like with Jack’s challenge, Lucky Charms will donate ten dollars to charity for every second he can stand to be underwater.”

            Mark gulped, hoping his sudden urge to hide under a rock wasn’t written all over his face. Jack wrapped an arm around his waist and squeezed him tightly, whispering in his ear, “Don’t sweat it, babe. I’ll go with you.”

            Mark nodded, feeling shaky. “Oh, God, please do.” He knew for a fact he wouldn’t be able to face this alone.

            “Now let’s have a word with our sponsor while we let our stars get ready. Everybody, give a warm welcome to Joe Carlton!” Felix walked in his direction while the cameras followed him, leaving Mark and Jack standing awkwardly in the middle of the beach.

            “Holy shit,” Mark moaned, scrubbing his face with his hands. “ _Scuba diving_?! Jesus, and here I was freaking out over a submarine dive!”

            “Mark, please, look at me. Calm down.” Jack stepped directly into his line of sight and gripped his shoulders so that he’d look him in the eyes, and Mark was enveloped in their stunning crystallized blue. “Everything is goin’ to be just fine, okay? I promise.”

            Mark gulped, nodding. “Yeah, yeah, I know it will. I’m just…I’m freaked anyway.”

            “Yeah, and you got the right to be, because it’s fuckin’ scary. But you’re gonna do fine, and besides, I’ll be there.” Jack smiled at him reassuringly. “You know I won’t let anythin’ bad happen to you, right?”

            Mark’s heart warmed, and he smiled despite himself. “Yeah…I know you won’t.”

            “Gentlemen, if you’ll follow me please,” a suited man ordered without warning. He led Mark and Jack to their left far away from the crowd, where hidden behind a cliff was a white van that reminded Mark inexplicably of stereotypical child molesters. Inside were a few scuba suits and other various aquatic gear, as well as a lean, muscular man already suited up for the task.

            “Hi! You must be Mark and Jack. My name’s Kyle, I’ll be your guide today.” He shook both of their hands vigorously. It seemed he had enough energy to light up a neon sign. “You two ready to get suited up?”

            Jack nodded. “Is there a place to change, or do we just strip out here in the open?”

            Kyle chuckled. “Nah, you can change in the van. I’ll give you some privacy. Here’s a suit for you, and one for you.” He handed both men a suit and politely stepped out of the van.

            Mark and Jack stooped over under the low car ceiling, stripping down to their natural states to tug on the tough, rubbery outfits. The situation might have been steamy if they weren’t putting on what literally felt like a giant rubber band and if Mark wasn’t on the verge of shitting a two-ton brick.

            “You okay babe?” Jack asked as he slipped his arms inside the suit, having finally tugged it over his unmentionables.

            “Yeah…do I not look okay?”

            “You honestly look like you’re about to give birth.”

            Mark laughed, genuinely startled. “Jesus, is it that bad?”

            “Yeah, kinda.” Jack was giggling despite himself. “It won’t be that bad, dude, really. It might even be fun! We’ll get to see all kinds of fish and shit.”

            “Oh, yeah, fun. There’ll be fish all right. Sharks, octopi, squids, jellyfish, and probably a zillion other creatures out there that might kill me.”

            Jack sighed. “Sorry I mentioned it,” he muttered.

            The two of them stepped out and met Kyle and the suited man back on the sand. They were then lead back to the main beach, where Felix was just finishing up talking to Carlton. Mark walked awkwardly, feeling the suit squeak with every step. He probably looked like a walking black Gumby.

            “Good, you’re back,” Felix called, and it was obvious he was struggling very hard not to burst out laughing at the pair of them. Jack rolled his eyes.

            “Yeah, yeah, we look fuckin’ stupid!” he said impishly. “At least we’re still devilishly good-looking under all this rubber.”

            “Well, I can’t really confirm nor deny that,” Felix replied. Jack wiggled his eyebrows.

            “So you agree I’m sexy.”

            “Now I never said that.”

            “I will. You’re sexy, babe,” Mark chimed in, remembering what Voss had said a few weeks ago about playing up the couple stuff for the camera. It felt like overkill to him, but Voss flashed him a delighted thumbs-up from behind the scenes.

            Jack’s cheeks reddened, and he flashed Mark a suggestive smile. “Thanks. I was hoping you might.”

            “Cut it out, guys,” Felix chuckled. He looked back at the camera. “We’ll get back in touch with these guys once they’re at the diving point, after we hear a short word from our sponsors.” He waited a few seconds before lowering his microphone. The camera he was addressing was wheeled away, and he faced Mark and Jack. “Your boat’s over there. Jesus, what’s with all the lovey dovey shit? You’re gonna make me barf.” He said it all with a tongue-in-cheek grin.

            Jack shrugged, smirking. “The director asked us to be over-the-top with the couple shit.”

            “Ah, I see. Yeah, he likes that cinematic shit. That’s why he invited the crowd.”

            Mark snorted. “Maybe he should’ve directed some Nicholas Sparks movies instead of Lucky Charms promotions.”

            “Hey, I can still hear you!” Voss shouted from a few feet away. He shot a smile at Felix, who shook his head and laughed.

            “C’mon, let’s get to the boat. We’re burning daylight.”

            “Nah, let’s kill time s’more,” Mark suggested, only half-joking. “The less light we have to film, the less time I have to dive into a watery grave.”

            “And the less money goes to charity,” Jack reminded him strait-lacedly, and Mark cursed him for being right.

            “ _Fiiiine_ ,” he pouted, “I’ll get on the damn boat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, we're getting some variation with these fics. It's about time. XD
> 
> Constructive criticism is appreciated! Just be polite please! :)


	4. The Reefs

            Mark was as close to the middle of the boat as he possibly could, trying in vain to stop agonizing over the miles and miles of open blue death that was ever-expanding around him. Jack was sitting beside him, stroking his hand and watching the ocean unfold around him with a childlike happiness that would have normally enchanted Mark, but at the moment just made him question his boyfriend’s sanity.

            Also on the ship was the captain, locked away in his own little room; Kyle the scuba diver, who stood at the helm to drink in the hellish scenery; and a cameraman, who was armed with a waterproof setup near the back of the boat, his lens trained to capture Mark’s mini-breakdown. Mark did his best to swallow the majority of his nerves, but it would have been impossible to disguise them all.

            “It’ll be all right,” Jack murmured, hopefully out of the audio range of the camera. Mark glanced at him doubtfully.

            “I dunno, Jack…the closer I get to jumping out of this boat, the more I want to start screaming.” He tried to laugh but couldn’t sound convincing enough.

            Jack frowned sympathetically. “I’ll be there. I’ll stick right beside you, I promise.”

            Before Mark could respond, Kyle sang out, “All right, we’ve reached the diving point!”

            As if given a cue, the cameraman beckoned to the two stars and handed them each a little camera to strap to their chests. “These are pretty durable, but try not to hit them with any seafloor sediments anyway,” he advised. “Better safe than sorry.”

            _Yeah, okay_ , Mark thought sarcastically. _I’ll be sure to keep this camera safe while I have my fucking meltdown._

After being fitted with their own recording devices, Kyle met them at the front. He handed Jack his own pair of goggles and helped Mark put on his own, then he fitted them each with an oxygen tank. “These have two hours of air in them,” he informed them. “We’ll only be down there for an hour, but we’ll have plenty more in case of an emergency.”

            “What kind of emergency are we talking about here?” Mark asked immediately, his heart skyrocketing into his throat. Kyle chuckled like it was all one huge joke.

            “Nothing major. Don’t worry about it, it’s just precautionary. We’re going to be taking a very easy dive today, nothing complicated or too terrifying.”

            _You and I have very different definitions of terrifying, sir_ , Mark thought, but said nothing.

            Without further ado, Kyle stepped off the boat and dove into the water, as graceful and lean as a fucking swan. Jack glanced at Mark, shrugged, and followed suit (although his dive was closer to a belly flop).

            Mark glanced back at the cameraman uneasily. Maybe he’d tell him he didn’t have to go through with it…or something; he was ready to take any reprieve he could find. But alas, the man just shooed him forward impatiently.

            _God-fucking-dammit_ , Mark moaned internally, but he sighed, took a deep breath, and took the plunge.

 

            The breathing mask stayed securely on his face, which was a relief, because about two seconds into the water Mark suddenly feared that it would pop off. He looked around, taking unnecessarily deep breaths to make sure that he still could. The oxygen tank had quickly become his one and only tether to sanity; without it, his death would be completely inevitable, no matter what.

            “Mark! This way!” Kyle said behind him, his voice sounding muffled and bubbly underwater. Mark spun around and saw him and Jack treading water together, looking like extras in _Finding Nemo_. He swam up towards them, shocked at how much more powerfully his strokes were with the scuba fins on.

            “We’ll just be swimming around for the next hour,” Kyle explained to them both. “We’ll see some coral reefs, maybe some schools of fish. There shouldn’t be any predators out at this hour, and the water is relatively shallow. Just stick close to me and try not to wander off, okay?”

            “Believe me,” Mark replied, “that won’t be an issue. I’ll be up your ass the entire time we’re underwater.”

            Kyle laughed, then turned and began swimming further down. Mark’s stomach churned nauseatingly at the thought of diving even _further_ into a watery grave, but he followed him dutifully, Jack sticking close to his side.

            “Y’know,” Jack mused, “this is actually pretty fuckin’ cool.”

            Mark snorted. “That’s a matter of opinion, babe.”

            “Look around! Look at all the seaweed n’ shit! You can’t tell me that’s not the least bit cool!”

            Mark glanced around. Jack was right; they were surrounded by stalks of seaweed and pearly-colored shells, the sun shining ethereally from above them. The scene was beautiful, and Mark might’ve appreciated it if he were looking at it as a desktop screensaver, but in person the situation was terrifying.

            “Yeah, it’s pretty all right…pretty fucking scary.”

            Jack laughed and squeezed his hand. “Ah, that’s fine. I’ll just enjoy it for the both of us.”

            “You do that.” Mark swam faster, trying to keep up with Kyle as much as possible. Losing him and being lost in this giant body of water would be his worst nightmare.

            They continued their swim, and Kyle was right about it being an easy dive. Mark never lost sight of the surface, which was comforting in case they saw a giant shark and he needed to bail. They passed through a coral reef, which Kyle bobbed and weaved through like a fish, swimming through human-sized openings. The coral was a marvelous orange-pinkish color that positively delighted Jack; he couldn’t stop laughing as they swam through its nooks and crannies, and Mark tried to enjoy himself. It still seemed to him that every darkened spot inside a crop of seaweed or under a mound of sand was apt to be filled with sharks and octopi, but thankfully no sea demons sprang forth to swallow his soul.

            “Are you having fun?” Kyle asked as they swam merrily along.

            “I’m having a grand ol’ time!” Jack crowed jovially, his eyes alight with enchantment. Mark couldn’t help smiling at his kid-in-a-candy-store attitude.

            “Great! What do you think, Mark? Still scared?”

            “Well…yes.” He laughed a little at his own weak will. “Not as much as I was when we started out, but I’ll be happy once we hit dry land.”

            Kyle chuckled. “Yeah, well at least you’re not freaking the hell out. I once took a family diving and the mom started having a panic attack after we saw a dolphin.”

            “A _dolphin_?!” Jack cackled. “Seriously?!”

            “Yeah…she swore up and down it was a shark. We had to cut the swim short by almost two-thirds, and of course I didn’t get paid.”

            “That’s bullshit,” Mark cursed sympathetically.

            “Eh, it’s part of the job. At least this gig pays me _extra_ if you lose your nerve.” Jack laughed at that.

            The group continued along. It seemed to Mark they were swimming aimlessly, so he hoped that Kyle had some kind of predestined route and that they weren’t getting hopelessly lost. They passed through more reefs, saw some schools of brightly colored (but thankfully tiny) fish that darted around as one entity, and generally just wasted time. The longer they continued, the more Mark slowly eased into the environment, but he constantly anticipated when he’d finally get to get out.

            Kyle turned to the two men and said, “Okay, we’re gonna head back now!”

            “Oh, thank _God_ ,” Mark sighed, and Jack laughed. They swam for perhaps five more minutes until Kyle broke the surface, tossing his head back like a trained seal. When Mark surfaced, he could see the boat that they’d ridden in on was still in its same place, and he eagerly climbed up the ladder and stood once more on dry land.

            He took off the mask and unhooked the breathing apparatus, gratefully taking a deep breath of air that didn’t taste like the inside of an aluminum can. “Oh, thank God,” he groaned again, stretching his back and staring up into the big blue sky. “Never again, Jack. Never again.”

            “Aw, c’mon, I had fun!” Jack laughed as he ascended onto the deck.

            “You thought that was _fun_? No way, that was hell.”

            “Jeez, you’re no fun.” Jack walked up to him and squeezed his shoulder affectionately. “You were really brave though. I’m proud of you.” Mark couldn’t help blushing.

            On the boat ride back they returned their chest cams and relaxed; Mark closed his eyes and sunned himself, letting the warmth soak up his worries. He did it, it was done; finished; over. If they had some kind of terrifying bonus challenge, they’d have told him by now, so there must not have been one…right?

            They reached the shore, docked the boat, and walked up to a very energetic Felix. “Hey guys! How was it? Did you survive it without any freak-outs?”

            Mark laughed. “Yeah, I managed it. It was fucking scary though.”

            “Nah, you’re just a big baby. I had fun! I wouldn’t mind doing that again!” Jack said enthusiastically, grinning at the camera. Felix chuckled.

            “All right, that’s pretty great. You made it an hour, Mark, congratulations!”

            A walkie-talkie that was clipped to Felix’s belt suddenly crackled, and everyone jumped at the noise. He picked it up and held it to his mouth, his brow creased. “Hello? This is Felix.”

            “Hey! This is Joe. Are you on camera?” Carlton asked, his voice garbled by the poor transmission.

            “Yeah, I’ve got Mark and Jack here now. Is everything okay?” Felix inquired, looking concerned. Mark’s heart skipped a beat. Did something go wrong? Felix seemed to think this development was strange.

            “Oh yeah, everything’s great! The footage came back beautifully. I was just hoping to talk to Mark.”

            “Oh…kay?” He handed over the walkie-talkie with a shrug.

            “Um, yes, hello? This is Mark,” Mark said uncertainly.

            “Hey Mark! Good to hear from you! Did the scuba diving go well?”

            “Uh, yeah, it was fine. Is everything okay, sir?”

            “Oh, yes, everything’s great! Go ahead and take off your scuba gear, you don’t need that anymore. But after you’re done, I’d like to invite you to follow Kyle to a secret location for the second half of your challenge.”

            Mark’s heart sped up. “Second half?” he repeated incredulously, his voice cracking. “I-I-I didn’t know there was one.” He glanced at Jack, who was glaring at the walkie-talkie with wide eyes.

            “Yes, there is! It’s completely optional, of course, but we can’t tell you what it is until Kyle escorts you here.”

            “Okay, I guess…when do I need to be there?” Mark might as well see what the challenge was. It couldn’t be too bad, could it?

            “Whenever you get your scuba gear off! Kyle will know where to take you.” Carlton paused. “Oh, and I hate to do this to you…but don’t bring Jack.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry it took so long to put out this chapter; I kinda started debating whether or not to continue this fic, 'cause I'm kind of concerned that no one is really enjoying it...but I went ahead and wrote this chapter just to give it one last shot.
> 
> Anyway, constructive criticism (or any comments at all!) are always appreciated! Just be polite. :)


	5. The Cliff

            Mark and Jack shed their scuba gear silently in Kyle’s child molester van. Mark didn’t know he was shaking until he realized how much trouble he was having buckling his belt; every time he thought he’d found a hole, his hand slipped and the whole thing came tumbling.

            Jack glanced over and took pity on him. “Here, babe, lemme help you,” he murmured, stepping closer. Mark surrendered and allowed him to buckle his belt.

            “I’m sorry, I probably look like such a big baby…,” Mark sighed. Jesus, he couldn’t even put on his own goddamn belt. What was he, _five_?

            “No, you’re okay, I’d be scared too,” Jack said sympathetically. His jaw tightened. “What the _hell_ do they have in mind that says I can’t go up there with you? That isn’t fair.”

            “Yeah, it’s kind of…terrifying,” Mark admitted, and his shaking became worse. “God, this is so much worse than the fucking scuba diving. I just wanna _know_ what I’m up against!”

            “It’s super shitty of them not to tell you.” Jack finished with the belt and looked Mark in the eyes. “Listen to me: if it’s anythin’ too crazy or if you don’t feel safe, _don’t do it_ , okay? Don’t do anythin’ that you don’t feel comfortable doing.”

            Mark chuckled nervously. “Isn’t that the whole point of this challenge?” he joked.

            “ _Mark_.”

            “Fine, you’re right, I won’t.”

            They stepped out of the van clothed and mostly dried. Kyle smiled warmly at Mark. “You ready?”

            Mark nodded, feeling as though his stomach was full of lead. “Y-yeah, as I’ll ever be, I guess….”

            “Are you _sure_ I can’t go up there too?” Jack asked critically. “What’ve they got up there that’s so secret that even _I’m_ not allowed to know?”

            Kyle shrugged. “I’m honestly not sure what they’ve got planned; I just know where to take him. I’m sure it’ll be safe. Mark’s a big boy.”

            Mark laughed a little. Jack didn’t seem amused.

            “All right, let’s head out,” Kyle said spiritedly, as though he were leading a summer camp expedition. Mark waved half-heartedly to Jack, who gave him a piercing look that said, _If it’s fucked up, don’t do it_.

            Then Mark followed Kyle straight into hell.

* * *

            They ascended some hills that Mark didn’t recognize. He was curious why they were going up rather than down into the water, because wasn’t that where his fears were supposed to be located? Maybe they had some other body of water that was somehow scarier than the depthless, soul-swallowing ocean? The thought made it feel as though his skin was crawling.

            Kyle led him along the hard-packed dirt on the shoulder of the road and up to a particularly large cliff. Mark could make out some cameramen, Carlton, Voss, and Felix, all three of them talking in a circle. Even from a distance, Felix looked distressed, but the other two men seemed to be brightly excited.

            “Ah, you made it! Good to see you!” Voss exclaimed once he caught sight of Mark and Kyle. “Did everything go okay? Did you see any sharks?”

            “No sir, no sharks,” Kyle replied casually. Voss shook his head.

            “Damn, that’s a real shame,” he said, and Mark could swear he wasn’t kidding. “Anyway, Mark, glad to have you up here. Would you mind standing next to Felix at camera two?”

            “Wait, you’re not even gonna tell me _now_ what I have to do?!” Mark exclaimed, not caring if he sounded rude.

            Voss looked taken aback. “Um…well, we were going to do it on camera—”

            “But what if I refuse?! How is it fair for you to pressure me to say yes because I’m being filmed—?”

            “Hey, Mark, it’s okay, calm down,” Carlton broke in, standing up to play peacemaker. “Vincent, he’s got a point. Let’s just tell him now, okay?”

            Vincent frowned peevishly. “Fine,” he grumbled, as though the ruination of his shot was the worst thing in the world.

            Carlton glanced at Felix. “Why don’t you tell him?” he invited.

            Felix gulped noticeably, and Mark faced him head-on. “What is it?” he asked, his heart hammering. “Is it bad?”

            Felix shrugged. “Uh…that’s a matter of opinion,” he replied lamely.

            “C’mon, dude, just give it to me straight.”

            “Well….” He sighed, tugging at his hair stressfully. “Well…what you’ll be doing, is…well, they have an expert here to show you how to do it, and then you’ll just follow right after him, and then the whole thing’s over with, that’s all you have to do—”

            “Spit it out. What am I doing?”

            Felix glanced at him, chewing on his lower lip. “Um…cliff diving.”

 

            Mark’s pulse was whooshing in his ears; he could barely hear anything around him.

            _Cliff diving_?! No. Hell no. _Fuck_ to the no. That was for professionals. There were fucking _rocks_ down there, and who knew what else below the surface?!

            Cliff divers were fearless individuals with zero sense of self-preservation. They flung themselves off of the highest points of the Earth, twisting and tumbling, crashing into the water below like sewage from a pipe, and more often than not they didn’t make it out alive. Even from where he was standing—pointedly _very far away_ from the cliff’s edge—he could hear the ocean’s bloodthirsty waves flinging themselves against the shore.

            Felix was staring at him anxiously. “Mark? Mark, it’s okay. You don’t have to do it, you can say no,” he reminded him.

            Mark nodded, feeling as though he was already trapped underwater. He looked back at Voss and Carlton, who were sharing uneasy glances.

            “ _Cliff diving_?!” he repeated bewilderedly. “That’s insane! I’ve never done anything like that before! How do you know I won’t hurt myself?”

            “We’ve already scoped out this cliff,” Voss explained, leaning forward in his stupid chair that he took everywhere. “We talked to some regular divers, they say it’s the safest one on the shore. We had Kyle and some other divers go in beforehand and make sure there were no prominent rocks or reefs or anything that could potentially hurt you, and we’re far too close to the shore to risk meeting any predatory fish.”

            “You went skydiving with Jack, didn’t you?” Carlton asked, seeming less-than-sympathetic to Mark’s distress. “This is a far smaller drop than that was. I think you’re getting off kind of easy.”

            “ _Getting off easy_?!” Mark echoed, his voice jumping up two octaves. “That was with a _trained professional_ , and we landed on the ground! You’re asking me to _jump_ off a cliff—without having _any_ prior experience—and land in the ocean, which I am _already_ afraid of, where I have _no idea_ what will be down there, where I might fucking _drown_ —”

            “I promise that you will not drown,” Carlton broke in, trying to sound soothing. “Believe me, I would never risk your safety, or anyone’s.”

            “Yeah, ‘cause you don’t want a _fucking lawsuit_ on your hands!” Mark said viciously. He stepped forward as if to knock Carlton’s teeth out, but Felix grabbed his arm.

            “Dude, dude, dude, calm down, it’s okay,” he rushed, sounding rattled. “You don’t have to do it. Just say no.”

            Mark would have, too, if Voss hadn’t expertly thrown in, “Jack was able to gather _his_ nerve last time.”

            Mark’s stomach dropped. God damn him for being right; damn him for manipulating that part of Mark’s judgment.

            Because Jack _had_ done it, despite how terrified he was. He’d set aside what scared him and looked at Mark, drawing inspiration from him. It had been touching, valiant; not to mention it had doubled his charity output. God, what kind of person would Mark be if he couldn’t live up to that legacy? What kind of Lucky Charms Challenge would he showcase if he couldn’t even make it to the finale?

            Strangely, Mark started thinking about regrets. _You’ll only regret the chances you didn’t take_. Sure, this was a potentially deadly chance, but weren’t all the best chances deadly? …Okay, no, not necessarily, but this was certainly an important chance, and the outcome would be far greater than any fear he felt while doing it. Besides, Carlton was right: Lucky Charms would never risk his safety, lest a very pissed-off Irishman return with a few lawyers…and possibly some paid assassins.

            “Fine, you win,” Mark sighed, scrubbing his face with his hands. Felix looked at him shocked.

            “Mark, are you _serious_?!” he asked incredulously.

            “Yeah, I am.” Mark may have been pale and shaking, but he’d be damned if somebody ever called him a coward after this.

            Voss leaned forward in his chair, a triumphant smile coloring his face. “So you’ll do it?” he asked calmly, knowing he’d already won.

            “Yeah…,” _You rat bastard_ , Mark wanted to add but didn’t, “…I’ll do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys!!! Sorry this chapter's so short, but I didn't want to make it too long by adding in the bonus challenge. Besides, cliffhangers!!! :D
> 
> Comments and constructive criticism are appreciated! Just please be polite. :)


	6. The Plunge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: there's very heavy swearing in this chapter.

            “Do I even get to change clothes?”

            “You can take off your shirt if it’ll make you feel better.”

            With a sigh, Mark shed his shirt and threw it to Felix, wondering if he’d make any lewd comments. The other man caught it wordlessly, still staring at Mark with possibly the most worried face he’d ever seen anyone look at him with.

            “All right, dude, you gotta watch me closely, okay?” Mark whirled back and nodded at the cliff diver that Carlton had found. He was probably the most stereotypical California surfer-type that Mark had ever seen in the flesh: sandy blonde hair, caramel skin, broad shoulders, washboard abs, crooked grin, floral swimming trunks. He was undoubtedly sexy; too bad he wasn’t Mark’s type.

            The man faced the water head-on, as though he intended to wrestle with it. “Stand straight up with your feet together…go on, do it. There you go. Raise your arms above your head like a pencil. Yeah, that’s it, good job. Damn dude, you’re fit. Do you work out?”

            Mark shrugged a little. “Uh, sometimes. What next?” In this moment of his unholiest hell, the last thing Mark wanted to discuss was his figure.

            The diver shrugged. “Bend your knees, bring your arms down, then back up to hip level.” He demonstrated in slow motion. “That make sense? Yeah? Good. Now, you’re gonna wanna jump straight out. Use your knees. Jump perpendicular to the water, okay? You need to clear the _entire cliff_ , so no half-assed jumps, or you might hit the side going down.” _Oh, great_ , Mark thought, _more ways to kill myself_.

            “Don’t worry about that, dude,” the diver encouraged, clapping Mark on the shoulder. “You’ll clear it no problem, you’ve got great muscles.”

            “Uh…thanks.” Was he flirting? Mark couldn’t even think about that right now. “Then what?”

            “Gravity will pull you into a vertical position. That’s good; you need to stay that way. Once you’re there, bring your arms over your head. Make a fist with your right hand and cover it with your left, like this.” He demonstrated the position and stared at Mark until he did the same. “There you go, you’re a natural! You’re gonna do great at this.”

            “I’d better,” Mark muttered, and the diver laughed, as though he weren’t about to embark on something truly suicidal.

            “When you hit the water, you wanna be as vertical as you can possibly be. Hit it feet-first; if you belly flop or hit on your back, you might hurt yourself, so don’t do that, okay?”

            “Okay, I’ll try not to.”

            “You won’t, you’ll do great. When you land in the water, stretch out your arms and legs, and arch your back. It’ll keep you from sinking too much. Once you’re on the surface, just give us a little wave and swim back to the closest shore. You got all that?”

            Mark nodded, even though it felt like he was five miles behind this guy. “Yeah, I think so….”

            The man smiled sympathetically. “Don’t worry, you’re gonna get to watch me do it. Just pay close attention.” He stood straight up as he’d described before, his arms high above his head, his knees bent. Then he paused, and he flashed Mark a toothy grin. “By the way, my name’s Brandon. If you wanna get something to drink after this, just let me know.” He winked, and without warning, launched himself forward.

            “I have a boy—!…friend,” Mark tried to shout, but the diver—Brandon, rather—was already gone.

            He launched himself forward—by the knees, Mark noticed—and was suddenly flung into the empty space between the cliff and the water below. Almost immediately, gravity pulled him into a vertical position, and he stretched his arms above his head in a pencil shape. He slipped into the water gracefully with only a tiny splash, and when he came back up about ten seconds later, he tossed his golden mane back, waved at the crew on the cliff, and swam back to shore.

            “Well, that was our expert’s display of events,” Felix said behind Mark, who hadn’t realized they were rolling. Felix led a camera up to the lip of the cliff and faced Mark smiling widely, but it was clearly forced. “Mark, how do you feel about your chances?”

            Mark cleared his throat and laughed nervously. “Uh, okay I guess…I’m still terrified though.”

            “Yeah, I would be too,” Felix agreed. He squeezed Mark’s shoulder tightly, and the gesture wasn’t as casual as he tried to make it seem. “Anyway, we’ll give you space to jump now. Do your best, and if you’re successful you get to double your money!”

            _Yeah, but at what cost?_ Mark thought to himself. He waved a little to Felix as he walked away and turned his back to the camera, letting his film persona drop and feeling the true tidal wave of his fear.

            He stared over the lip of the cliff at the tossing waves below. Those waves could rip men to shreds. They could rip _boats_ to shreds. They were pretty feeble now that they’d reached the shore, but Mark couldn’t get the thought of a deadly riptide taking him under out of his mind. Still, Brandon had done pretty well—Brandon, of course, was a trained professional, but that was beside the point. _He’d_ certainly seemed to think Mark could accomplish the task. He’d also thought Mark was boyfriend material, and hey, that was pretty encouraging as well.

            Mark thought of Jack; of his pissed-off scowl when he found out he couldn’t accompany him on his bonus challenge. He thought of his delighted laugh, his room-brightening charisma, his childish eagerness to explore the world around him. He thought of his elated smile as they explored the ocean, his stupid jokes, his eyes—whose blue starkly rivaled the color of the ocean beneath Mark’s feet—that bore into his whenever he felt scared or sad or alone. His eyes were like X-rays, always cutting straight through whatever lies or excuses Mark made about his emotions and understanding him right at the core.

            _I’ll be there. I’ll stick right beside you, I promise._

Mark bent his knees, swung his arms, and jumped.

 

            There are no words in the English language strong enough to describe Mark’s fear in the moments after he jumped.

            Time slowed down— _and fuck time for that_ , he’d later think, _fuck time for drawing out my pain and suffering_ —as he hung in the air like a forgotten marionette. It was as though God had hit pause on the world around Mark, because as his bare feet left the cliff’s edge and propelled him into the breath-snatching, soul-sucking empty space twenty-five feet— _no, a million miles, a million billion gazillion miles_ —above the ocean, there were a few precious moments when he seemed to stop falling, stop hearing, stop seeing, and was left completely to his own thoughts.

            In those moments, Mark Edward Fischbach wished for nothing but the sweet release of death.

            _FUCK FUCKING FUCKERY MOTHER OF FUCKING GOD OF JESUS FUCKING DAMMIT FUCKERY FUCKING FUCK NO FUCKING GODDAMN PISS HELL TITS BALLS FUCK_ would be a more literal translation of this wish.

            Then, as if things couldn’t possibly get any worse, Mark began to fall.

            It was by some miracle sent by Jesus himself that Mark remembered Brandon’s instructions. He forced himself into a pencil position, locking his arms above his head so tightly that he could feel his muscles shaking. There was nothing else he could do. He couldn’t make himself scream, or pray, or even close his eyes. He simply stared straight ahead into the oblivion, where the ocean stretched for millions of miles in all directions, ready to claim its next victim.

 

            The wind was whooshing deafeningly in his ears one moment, and the next thing Mark knew the world had gone mute as water filled every orifice in his body. He tried to gasp and only swallowed more salt and fish piss. He began choking, and if anything could have filled him with more terror, that was it. Holy shit, he was drowning!

            By the time he remembered Brandon’s instructions on stretching out his limbs to keep from sinking too far, Mark was already ten feet below the surface. He tried to look up and find sunlight, or rocks, or _anything_ to discern where dry land might be, but the ocean water burned his retinas and he scratched at his eyelids to stop the pain.

            Whatever air Mark might’ve gotten into his lungs before he’d hit the water, it was gone now, either used up by his body or squelched when he tried to gulp ocean water. He kicked and thrashed desperately in the water, but by God, the ocean was winning.

            Hadn’t Mark known it would happen? Hadn’t he known that the ocean would win? Wasn’t that why he’d been afraid of it all these years? All these years, shuddering at the thought of drowning, staring at coastlines with a pervasive sense of dread, staring at surfers doing their battle with the waves and wondering what possessed them to have such a death wish…and here he was, all of his precautions for naught, being swallowed by the beast herself?

            He coughed, his brain darkening like lights being switched off one by one. Dear God, was this really how he was going to _die_?! He’d never really thought about how he’d finally go, but this certainly wasn’t the scenario he had in mind. He’d imagined that he’d be old, with creaky limbs and saggy skin and laughter lines. He’d be married to an equally aged partner, watching grandchildren climb all over his furniture and being unable to digest anything but prunes and hard fiber, finally passing away in his sleep while Jack laid by his side.

            _Jack? Jack!_ Jack _!_ Mark thought suddenly. _I can’t die! I can’t die, no! Not now, not now! God please not now! Jack will never forgive me! Jack will be devastated! Jack will…Jack…will…Jack…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll probably update this again tonight because even I can't stand to leave it there. XD I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! Damn, it surprised me a little. I never know exactly what's going to come out of my fucked-up imagination when I sit down to write... ;)
> 
> Comments and constructive criticism are both greatly appreciated! Just please be polite! :)


	7. The Rescue

            Before Mark could lose consciousness, he felt someone grip his arms and _YANK_.

            They broke the surface a few moments later. Mark could feel the sun on his face, and air tickled at his nose and mouth, but he didn’t have the energy to respond to either one. Water still sloshed in his chest, and even though he was mere centimeters away from oxygen, he didn’t have the strength nor the room in his lungs to make good use of it.

            He was pulled onshore by his rescuer, whoever it was, and he felt two hands bludgeon him in the chest so hard that he thought his spine was going to crack. _One, two, three, four, five, six, seven…_ Mark lost count of the compressions. Then, suddenly, his head was tipped back and a pair of lips were mashed against his. Hot air flowed into his mouth like a gale.

            The water clogging Mark’s windpipe loosened, and as soon as the person lifted their head he felt a cough squirm up his throat. He sputtered, choking, and felt seawater dribble down his chin.

            “Thank God! C’mon, Mark, don’t stop, don’t you _dare_ fuckin’ stop now!” Jack’s hands pounded so hard into the center of Mark’s chest that he was certain it would leave a bruise, and he began pumping again, _one two three four five six seven_ and onward into infinity. “Mark, c’mon, don’t you dare fuckin’ stop, if you fuckin’ stop on me now I’m gonna kick your motherfuckin’ arse, don’t you put it fuckin’ past me, I—”

            Mark coughed again, and a whole stream of water filtered out of his mouth. He turned his head to the side and spit up seawater onto the sand. He opened his eyes and squinted in the suddenly-harsh sunlight, slowly turning back up to the sky.

            Jack was there. He was as pale and shaky as Mark had been just moments before he dove off of the cliff. Their eyes met, and Mark coughed again. “H-…hey babe…,” he croaked.

            Out of nowhere, Jack sobbed. It was a tormented, relieved, disbelieving sound, and it startled Mark. Jack was _crying_?

            “Oh, thank God.” Jack flung his arms around Mark’s neck and yanked him close, burying his face in his boyfriend’s unclothed, dampened shoulder. “Dear God, thank God, thank fuckin’ Jesus, dear God Mark you weren’t breathin’! You weren’t breathin’ and you weren’t comin’ up outta the water and no one seemed to _care_ , no one cared but me! Dear fuckin’ God, Mark, a few more seconds and you’d’ve been fuckin’ dead—!”

            “Hey, hey, calm down, it’s okay,” Mark murmured, because Jack was beginning to cry so hard that he was afraid he’d throw up. “I’m okay, I’m okay, we’re okay Jack…you saved me, Jack, thank you, thank you so much.”

            “Oh God, Mark, I thought I was too late!” Jack wailed, his voice muffled by Mark’s shoulder. “You were pale and you weren’t movin’ and you weren’t breathin’, I thought it was too late, I thought you were dead, and if you died I don’t know what I’d—”

            “But I’m not dead, I’m not dead, Jack, it’s okay. We don’t have to think about that. You saved me, I’m gonna be fine….” As more strength returned to Mark’s limbs, he looked around. They were on the beach on the other side of the cliff where Kyle’s van was parked, thankfully out of sight of the crowd of fans.

            But they weren’t out of sight of the few cameras that had scurried around the cliff to capture the moment.

            Jack noticed them at about the same time as Mark did. Without warning, he dropped Mark, who flopped like a ragdoll against the sand with a groan.

            Jack rose to his full height, his fists balled by his sides. He stormed up to the cameramen with long, powerful strides, glaring so murderously that every one of them flinched before he’d come within three feet of them.

            “Are _you_ — _fuckin’_ — _FILMING THIS_?!”

            Jack broke into a run, and he probably would’ve torn open their throats if Carlton hadn’t sprinted to their rescue, having finally made it down from the cliff to see what had happened.

            “Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!” he cried over and over, launching himself between Jack and the cameras. “Relax, please, stop! Guys, cameras down, turn them off, put them away.”

            “Does nobody _FUCKIN’_ understand that Mark almost _DROWNED_?!” Jack’s face was beet red, and smoke was practically coming out his ears.

            Two of the cameramen abandoned their equipment and rushed to Mark’s side, each tentatively taking one of his arms and helping him to his feet. “Are you all right, Mr. Fischbach?” one of them asked.

            “Yeah, yeah, I’m fine… _now_.” He couldn’t stop himself from shooting them both a glare. “Now that I’m out of the water and not _suffocating_.” The men reddened sheepishly.

            “We—we didn’t know that you were in trouble, sir—”

            “Forget it.” Mark snatched his arms out of their hands and walked up to Jack, who was trembling with the barely stifled urge to slam Carlton’s melon head against the cliff.

            “Yes, we know that happened, and we’re very sorry,” Carlton was saying hurriedly, his hand held out in front of him in surrender—or perhaps in defense. Mark walked up to Jack’s side and couldn’t help flinching when he saw how fiercely his boyfriend was glowering at the man before him. “We had no idea he wouldn’t be able to resurface. If we had, we never would have allowed him to attempt this without training. I’m very sorry—”

            “Oh, _what_ , like sorry’s gonna fuckin’ _change_ anything?!” Jack seethed. “What if I hadn’t jumped in the water?! What if I hadn’t been the only _fuckin’ person_ on this entire _fuckin’_ beach that had noticed that Mark was takin’ too fuckin’ long to come up outta the water? Oh, I know what! He wouldn’t be _fuckin’ alive right now_!”

            Voss ran up to Carlton’s side, distressed and sweating profusely. “Mark! Oh, thank God, are you okay?” he asked breathlessly.

            “Yeah, I’m fine _now_ ,” Mark snapped. He was pissed, but his anger was nothing compared to the white-hot demonic rage had been injected into Jack.

            “ _You_ ,” Jack growled, and anyone would have thought he’d just encountered his arch nemesis. He launched forward and raised a fist, fully intending to knock Voss’s lights out, but Mark grabbed his arm and yanked him back. Voss stumbled back, turning a few shades paler.

            “I-I-I’m sorry!” Voss exclaimed, clearly terrified. “I had no idea that—”

            “You and your _fuckin’ shots_!” Jack thundered, yanking at Mark’s grip. Mark stumbled a little at his strength; he hadn’t fully recovered yet, and it was hard to hold his pissed-off boyfriend at bay. Jack gained a little footing and scratched out at Voss as though he intended to claw his face off. “You don’t give a rat’s ass about _anybody’s_ fuckin’ safety! You just like your fuckin’ shock factor! That’s all you givea shit about!”

            “Now that’s not true—” Voss protested feebly.

            “Oh, _go to hell_!”

            Felix arrived late on the scene, sprinting full-speed towards Jack and Mark. He immediately grabbed Jack’s other arm and pinned it behind him.

            “ _Let go of me_!” Jack demanded lividly. Felix and Mark gripped him tighter. Voss was all but using Carlton as a human shield at this point as both men stood bewilderedly without a clue what to do about this.

            “Jack, you need to calm down,” Felix asserted. Jack bucked against their grip on him, his teeth bared like a rabid animal.

            “ _He doesn’t fuckin’ get it_!” Jack protested, squirming. “Mark could’ve fuckin’ _died_!”

            “Yes, and I’m extremely sorry about that,” Voss broke in shakily, “but you’ll see that he is fine—”

            “ _Only because I made fuckin’ sure he was fine_! You didn’t do jack shit about his safety! You—!”

            “C’mon, Jack, we’re going for a walk,” Felix said suddenly, and he yanked hard enough on Jack’s arm to make him stumble backwards into him. Mark let go and watched as Jack struggled not to be forced to walk away from Voss and Carlton, but eventually Felix’s strength and determination won out, and he marched sullenly away from the crowd of men.

            Mark faced Voss and Carlton, who were now looking at him like deer in headlights. Carlton cleared his throat uncertainly.

            “We really are quite sorry—”

            “Forget it, it’s over now,” Mark snapped, feeling exhausted. “You put my life in danger, and I almost died. It’s over now. Are you happy? Did you get the footage you wanted?”

            Voss gulped guiltily. “We…we will still be donating the money you raised to charity…,” he said meekly.

            Mark glared at him. “What about the video?” he demanded. “Are there any more ‘shots’ that you need to get to finish it up?”

            Voss stared at him for a few moments to make sure he was serious. “Um, well, we’ll need some kind of closing remarks, perhaps with Felix—”

            “Fuck that, we’re doing it _my_ way,” Mark declared, his voice so stoically pissed that Voss looked like he wished he was dead. “I’m done playing your piddly-ass games. I’m not a trained monkey. I’ll shoot this one last fucking thing, and then me and Jack are going home, where I’m probably gonna have a fucking panic attack after all the bullshit you two have put me through today. Do I make myself clear?”

            Voss looked vaguely ruffled, but Carlton nodded at a million miles per hour. “Yes, that’s fine, we understand, do whatever you need to do,” he stammered. He’d do almost anything to avoid any more conflict that might befall his company.

            Mark turned towards a camera. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, trying to appear as loose and as not-post-almost-having-died as he could. Then he nodded at the cameraman, who flicked on his equipment and began rolling.

            “Hello everybody!” Mark said joyfully, grinning and waving at the screen like he did his camera at home. “I’ve just completed the Lucky Charms bonus challenge! Hopefully the footage they got of it was good, because there is no way in _hell_ I’m ever doing that again. It was absolutely horrifying! _Hooray_!” He flashed a sarcastic thumbs-up at the camera that made even the cameramen smirk. “Anyway, thank you guys so much for tuning into my pain and suffering, it means a lot to me! I’d like to give a special thank you to Jack and Felix for supporting me through this and helping me get the nerve to actually do all of this crazy shit. They’re really good friends and I appreciate them. I’d also like to thank Lucky Charms for sponsoring this event and donating so much money to charity! Your intentions are good, Lucky Charms, although your execution of entertainment is a bit questionable.” Mark pointedly glanced right at Voss, who dropped his head sheepishly. “So that’s it for now! Thank you all _so much_ for watching, and I will see you in the next video. _Buh-bye_!” He waved to the camera, grinning like an idiot, until the cameraman nodded at him.

            Mark turned to Voss and Carlton. “There. Will that be enough?”

            Voss hesitated. “Well, I wanted more of a—”

            “It’s perfect!” Carlton interrupted, all but slapping a hand over Voss’s mouth. “Thank you so much for finishing the shoot, Mr. Fischbach. It was very kind of you.”

            “Yeah, it sure was, considering you don’t deserve it,” Mark retorted. “Now, that’s all the footage you’re getting. I’m gonna find Jack and Felix, and the three of us are gonna leave. You can sort out whatever other shit you have to sort out. You’d better post that fucking video though. There’s no way I went through all this pain and suffering for you not to do it just because you didn’t get the ending shot you wanted.”

            “Believe me, sir, we’ll definitely post the video,” Carlton said hurriedly, nodding along. “Again, thank you for—”

            “Stop thanking me. It’s not gonna change how pissed I am.”

            Mark stared at Carlton and Voss for a few more moments before turning around and walking away. He could see far in the distance Felix and Jack staring at the ocean. The latter seemed to have calmed down, which was a relief.

            Mark walked for a few minutes before reaching them. He stood next to Jack and squeezed his hand. Jack looked at him and smiled a little.

            “Hey,” he said softly. “Sorry I kinda…well, y’know, went bat shit crazy back there.”

            “Nah, I don’t blame you, babe. I wanted to scream at them too. That was total bullshit.”

            “Yeah, you’re telling me,” Felix cut in. He picked up a stone and tossed it into the water. “What kind of shit did they think they were trying to pull? You’ve never cliff dived before. How could they expect you to get it right and not get hurt?”

            “It was totally reckless and stupid,” Jack concluded, fury rekindling in his eyes. “I’m gonna get my fuckin’ lawyer down here in a few days, and we’re gonna have a chat.”

            “Don’t worry about doing that, babe,” Mark requested, feeling exhausted. “It’s not worth it. Just let them post the video, donate to the charity, and be done with it.”

            Jack stared at him open-mouthed. “What part of ‘ _you almost fuckin’ died_ ’ don’t you understand?!” he demanded shrilly. “And now you’re saying you don’t wanna sue?!”

            “I don’t wanna deal with the mess of suing them when it’s not worth it,” Mark corrected him. “Besides, it’s partially my fault. I didn’t—”

            “Bullshit. None of it was your fault. You’d never cliff dived before.”

            “He’s right about that,” Felix chimed in. “The fact that they sent you to do it without training is just way outta line—”

            “All right, guys, I don’t feel like talking about this anymore,” Mark sighed. “Can we please just go get something to eat? I’m fucking starving.”

            “I will _never_ say no to free food,” Felix said with deadly seriousness. He grinned at Mark and Jack. “You guys have gotta show me your favorite bars. All I’ve found around here is shitty takeout.”

            “That might _be_ all you find,” Jack laughed, and Mark was relieved to see that his mood was improving. “Fine, let’s get some food.” He took Mark’s hand, and the three of them began walking up the hill again.

            Felix walked a little ways ahead, giving the couple some privacy. As they walked, Mark glanced at Jack out of the corner of his eye. His clothes, he finally noticed, were still very damp. Mark’s heart swelled at the thought of Jack leaping fearlessly into the ocean and pulling him out with nothing but love and adrenaline to fuel him along. Without Jack, he most certainly would have drowned.

            “Hey…babe?” Mark said, feeling embarrassed.

            “Yeah, what’s up?”

            There were so many things he wanted to say; he probably could’ve written a novel expressing his gratitude. But instead, he cleared his throat, gathered his nerve, and tugged Jack to his side to kiss him briefly on the mouth. The kiss was short, but Mark’s rush of emotions wasn’t. When he pulled back from Jack, both of them were blushing.

            “Uh…wow, thanks babe,” Jack chuckled, smiling stupidly. “I’m guessing that was for saving your ass?”

            “Wow, look at you all smart. I’m glad you could figure that out all on your own.”

            “Don’t be such a rat bastard.” Jack leaned forward, wrapping his free hand around Mark’s neck, and kissed him so adoringly that Mark’s heart melted all over his ribs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm exhausted, but I couldn't possibly leave the fic there. I was torturing MYSELF with that last cliffhanger. XD There might be/probably will be an epilogue to this fic, but I can't promise one. We'll see tomorrow how I feel.
> 
> Comments and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated! Just please be polite. :)


	8. Epilogue

            The video went up about three days later, and Mark dutifully posted it to his channel. Upon review, he saw that after they showed him jumping into the water, there was a jump cut to his happy-go-lucky speech thanking Felix and Jack and the Lucky Charms Corporation. He smirked; at least Voss had had the decency to leave out the footage of Jack giving him CPR, although he suspected it had been Carlton or someone else who made that decision.

            Jack watched the video with his fists clenched in his lap so tightly that the veins stood out. Mark rubbed his arm and tried to soothe him.

            “Babe, it’s okay. They didn’t leave in any of the footage after I got out of the water.”

            “It’s disgraceful that they’d post any of it at all,” Jack retorted, his teeth clenched together so tightly that they squeaked.

            “I asked them to! I didn’t want it to be all for nothing.”

            Jack shook his head. “Yeah…whatever. I’m still pissed about it. I’ll let you know when I’m not anymore.”

            Mark stifled a laugh as they finished up the video, then closed the browser. Jack let out a long sigh as though he’d been holding his breath.

            “God…they made it look so goddamn _normal_.” He glanced at Mark with a ghost of a laugh on his cheeks. “I feel like I’m on the inside of some covered-up scandal.”

            Mark laughed, covering his mouth. “What, my near-death experience is _scandalous_ now?” he asked jokingly. Jack couldn’t help smiling, and Mark felt rewarded by the way his face lit up, his eyes as bright as the stars.

            “Well, we _did_ share a very clandestine smooch on the shore…,” he teased flirtatiously. “You were vomiting water, I was crying… _very_ sexy.”

            “Oh, you know it, babe.” Mark tried to keep up the act and drop his voice into the lowest register he had, but it cracked and he burst out laughing. “Damn, I can’t do it! Oh, and you _know_ there’s somebody out there that’s into that.”

            “Oh, God no. Don’t even _think_ about that.” Jack covered his eyes. “There’s too many kinks out there to even _fathom_ half of them.”

            “Yeah, you’re right. Hey, want something to eat? I’m starving.” Mark stood up and patted his empty stomach for effect.

            Jack shrugged. “I’m up for food, but only if you’re cookin’ it.”

            “Ugh, cooking’s for _losers_. Let’s get takeout.”

            “Fine, but it better not be American food. I can only live off burgers for so long.”

            Mark grinned impishly. “Want me to find a nice potato joint instead?” he asked in a deliberately terrible accent. Jack elbowed him in the ribs, and Mark buckled, giggling.

            “You shut your fuckin’ mouth,” he laughed. “I say Thai. C’mon, you’re drivin’.”

            “I always drive!” Mark whined, but he didn’t really care so long as he got to go somewhere where there was both Jack and Thai food. They walked out and hopped into the car, and as Mark turned the engine on, Jack’s phone began to buzz.

            “Who’s callin’ me on Skype?” he asked aloud, as if Mark would know. He pulled it out of his pocket, smiled, and held it up to his face. “Hey Felix! What’s up?”

            Mark leaned over and waved at Felix’s badly-lit face. “We were about to go get some lunch! Wanna join us?”

            “Yeah, that sounds like fun!” Felix replied, his voice sounding strange. “But I gotta tell you something first.”

            Felix was smiling, but his eyes were a different story: they hung somewhere on the verge of eager and terrified. Mark and Jack glanced at each other suspiciously.

             “Is…everything okay, dude?” Jack asked, his brow furrowed. “What’s wrong?”

            “Nothing’s _wrong_ ,” Felix said, almost defensively, as he began walking to some other end of his hotel room. He picked something up off the bed and laughed, but it almost sounded like a sigh. “But…you guys, you’re never gonna _believe_ what I just got in the mail….”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OOPS! You know what that means! ;D
> 
> I'd definitely like to write a third (and final) installment to this series with Felix's challenge, BUT there's the slight problem of I don't know any of his fears...if he's mentioned any in a video and you guys know of any, PLEASE comment some suggestions (or message them to me on my Tumblr: tiny-septic-box-sam). If I can't find anything canon I might just make some shit up, but it's more fun to go with things that I know for a fact these guys are afraid of.
> 
> Anyway, thank you guys SO MUCH for giving this fic so much love and support. It really means a lot to me!
> 
> Comments and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated! Just please be polite. :)


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